A Love Borne of Pain
by Valleri
Summary: Based on a dream I had, Trip, Archer, and an OC Lt. get captured on a strange planet.


Title: A Love Borne of Pain: An Enterprise Fanfiction  
Author: Valleri Lynn MoonStorm (Valleri@goddess.com) 

Rating: PG13, very serious issues dealt with

Disclaimer: Owning them would mean I had money. Pretending I own them would mean I had guts. Both notions are laughable.

Summary: A new Lieutenant, Archer, and Tucker run into trouble on an inhabited planet.

Author's Notes: Yes, I do know that the background sounds an aweful lot like the episode civilization. I actually watched it, fell asleep and had this weird dream. I'll tell about it at the end, as it would ruin the story. Also, I have serious issues with trying to upload anything to FF.net, so if the story becomes one huge paragraph, just tell me and I will try to fix it. Thirdly, I would gladly beta-read for anyone that asks. All I want is props for my work. 

            Lieutenant Nicolette Mackenzie rolled lazily out of bed and smacked her alarm. She hated these early morning shifts, but ever since Lieutenant Reed broke his leg, she'd been required to take his place. It was worth it though; she loved working all day on the bridge with all the senior officers. She figured the only qualification Reed had over her was his obsession with his job. She liked blowing things up just as much as the next guy, but Reed was a bit too much.

            Nicolette finished getting ready and headed for the bridge. When she arrived, she met a bustle of activity.

            "Good, Mackenzie, you're here!" Archer yelled in her direction, "Come check this out!"

            She walked over to the consol he was peering over, and saw why everyone was so excited. They had come across an inhabited planet. Not only were the inhabitants humanoid, but she would have sworn they were human.

"T'Pol says they're Lunzu," Archer continued, "But they don't appreciate visitors, though, so you, me, Trip, and T'Pol are going down there in disguise."

Trip threw a dress over to her. "Here, you'll be needin' this."

Catching it, Nicolette replied nonchalantly, "I should hope so, I don't wanna go down there naked." The way she said naked made it sound like nekid.

Jonathan and Trip looked up at her in surprise. That was the first time they had heard her speak in the three days they had known her, and her accent sounded a lot like Trip's.

"Great, that's all we need is another Tucker!" Mayweather yelled across the bridge.

Trip shot a glare over at him, while the others laughed. "I think it's kinda nice," he said, smiling slightly at her and blushing a little. Behind Nicolette, Jonathan gave Trip a curious look, and Trip turned back to his consol. 

"Anyways," the Captain continued, "We all need to go change and get the doctor to paint the markings on, so let's get a move on."

"We need to split up," Archer instructed, looking around Lunzitia. "T'Pol and I will go down this way. Trip, you take Lieutenant Mackenzie with you the other way."

"Nicolette," Nicolette said.

"What?" Archer asked, confused.

"Ya'll seem to be on a first name basis with each other," she said, shrugging, "I'm Nicolette."

Jonathan smiled at her, "Alright Nicolette, you go with Trip, and watch his six, he needs it."

"Yes sir," Nicolette said, following Trip off. 

"How come you haven't talked at all before?" Trip asked quietly to Nicolette, his translator changing his English to Lunzu, then hers translating it back into English.

Nicolette shrugged, "I was nervous."

"Nervous? Why would you be nervous?" Trip asked, confused.

"Ya know when you're a little kid," Nicolette explained, "and you're scared to talk in front of the big kids for fear of sayin' somptin' stupid? Well, ya'll are kinda like the big kids."

Trip laughed, and they walked on for awhile in a comfortable silence.

Nicolette looked around at the marketplace they had arrived at. It ran a lot like ancient marketplaces on Earth, people buying and selling, yelling at each other, haggling over prices. Only, something was different.

"Do they seem… hostile to you?" Trip asked, startling her out of her thoughts. That was the difference. The people seemed meaner.

"Yeah. Maybe that's why T'Pol said they don't like visitors," she replied. A slight beep caused them both to look up in curiosity.

"Oh, it's the comm," Trip said laughing, "They set it on uhh… bleap so it wouldn't disturb us on the planet." He pulled it out and flipped it open. "Tucker," he said.

"Trip, it's Jonathan. Can you meet me over near where we landed? We can get into their… I guess it's kind of like a capitol building. It's the only federal building they have. I think it might be interesting to go inside."

"Sure," Trip said, "We'll be there in about five minutes." He shut the comm and slid it back into his robe. He looked over at Nicolette, then the two of them headed back over to the landing site.

Archer and T'Pol were waiting there when they arrived.

"T'Pol was telling me some fascinating things about the building," Archer said, "Their king lives there with his attendants. He never leaves the building, and hasn't been seen for years. Also, most of the officials live there too."

"Captain, it would be more beneficial if I returned to Enterprise and started cataloging the data I've collected instead of accompanying you on your… tour," T'Pol said, clearly disapproving.

"Go ahead T'Pol," Jonathan said, aggravated.

When T'Pol was out of earshot, Jonathan turned to the rest of the group and said, "She's been driving me insane this entire time. I'm just as glad to have her gone as she is to be gone."

With that, the three took off towards the king's dwelling house. The trip there only took a minute, and soon they were inside, wandering around. The building was huge, and full of people rushing around every which way.

"This place is amazin'," Nicolette said, "Look at the ceilin'. It must be some sort of Lunzu Sistine Chapel."

"Oops, I'm sorry!" Trip said. He was so busy paying attention to what Nicolette was saying, that he ran straight into someone.

"You're not from around here, are you?" The Lunzite said suspiciously. Trip looked nervously over to Jonathan.

"Of course we are," Jonathan replied.

The Lunzite smirked at him. "I don't think so," he said, "Come with me." He led the three of them into a room with one other Lunzu and left them there.

This Lunzite was dressed differently than any of the others. He was wearing a crude skirt, which looked almost like a towel wrapped around his waist. He was shirtless, exposing what looked like whippings on his back. He regarded them indifferently, but walked up to them with a small dish. "Put all of your valuables here," he said to them.

"What are you going to do with them?" Archer asked.

"Give them to King Oscratz, of course," he said, as if it was the stupidest question he'd ever been asked. "You aren't from around here, are you? That's probably why they sent you here. I don't know where you're from, but that was pretty stupid to come to Lunzitia. They don't like foreigners."

"What are we here for?" Archer asked.

The Lunzu laughed, then replied, "You're going to be the king's new slaves."

"I don't think so," Trip said, pulling out his phaser. Jonathan pulled out his comm and flipped it open. 

"Archer to Enterprise."

"Enterprise," T'Pol's voice returned.

"We need to get out of here, T'Pol, NOW."

"What has gone wrong?" she asked.

"They've figured out that we're not from around here, and apparently, we're going to become their slaves if we don't leave now."

"The only logical way to get you out without causing anyone harm would be to use the Teleporter."

Archer glanced over to Trip, who shook his head. "Alright, we're going to try to get out of this ourselves, but be prepared to Teleport us on a word."

"Understood. T'Pol out."

"Now how do we get out of this place?" Archer asked the Lunzite, flipping shut his comm.

"You don't," came a voice entering the room, "Tratchno, leave."

Jonathan and Trip turned to face the newcomer. He was dressed in long billowing crimson robes and carried a small sidearm, currently pointed at Trip. Tucker glance at Jonathan, who nodded, then he lowered his phaser.

"I am Länski, Sub-emperor of Lunzite, and you, foreigners, are now my prisoners," he said, never lowering his sidearm, rather, moving to point it at Jonathan's heart. "Who are you and why are you here?"

Nicolette and Trip remained silent, allowing the captain to decide how much to tell, but before Jonathan could answer him, the alien spoke again. "What is this?!?" he yelled, then handed his sidearm to another alien who had stepped into the room. He reached over and grabbed a wash cloth out of a small bowl of water that Länski had previously been using to clean the table, turned, and wiped it down Nicolette's face, smearing the doctor's carefully detailed markings. Nicolette drew back between Jonathan and Trip, who reached out to steady her.

"What is this?! Darvonni, throw them in the brig until they decide to speak!"

The alien who had taken Länski's gun, assumedly Darvonni, held his gun up Nicolette's head, and grabbing her forearm, forced her out of the room and into the possession of another guard. He did similarly with Jonathan and Trip, then took them down a long hallway to a door, which led downstairs to a small room with four cells. Nicolette was thrown into the first one on the left, which was separated from the next cell by only metal bars. Trip was thrown into that one, which also adjoined to the cell that Jonathan was in. All of their phasers and comm units were immediately taken from them and they were left with the promise that someone would soon return to take their jewelry and valuables from them.

Jonathan immediately stood, and started pacing the room. "How are we going to get out of here now? What are you doing Nicolette?! ?"

Nicolette was sitting against the back wall, leaning against the bars that separated her cell from Trip's. "My bother saved up for an entire year to buy me this necklace. He died the day after my sixteenth birthday, the day after he gave it to me. They're not takin' it from me," she explained as she folded the delicate silver chain up.

Archer nodded and continued his pacing as Trip took a seat against the wall next to Nicolette. The three remained like that in silence until Länski, armed with two guards entered. Nicolette swiftly slipped her necklace into her mouth before they could spot it.

Länski said little as he entered Jonathan's cell and took his watch and class ring then exited. He set Jonathan's stuff in a basket held by one on the guards, then entered Trip's cell and did the same. After depositing Trip's watch into the basket, he entered Nicolette's cell. As he had done with Jonathan and Trip, he checked her for any necklaces, rings or watches he could find. After taking her watch, he slipped it into his pocket and laid his hand upon her cheek.

"Pretty one, aren't you?" he said, rubbing his fingertips down her cheek towards her neck. "Yes, King Oscratz will like you very much." Länski grinned as his fingers slid down her neck till he came to her chest. Nicolette shoved him off of her with all of her might, and he turned and smacked her across the face. He grabbed her chin hard in his hand, shoving her face just inches from his, and spat at her, "You listen and you listen well, sweetie, you belong to me now, and unless you want to be in a lot of pain, you had better do what I say. You understand that, beautiful?" Nicolette struggled against his grasp, but Länski overpowered her, shoving her against the wall and forcing his mouth on hers.

"Hey! Leave her alone, you asshole!" Trip yelled at him. Länski looked over at his, infuriated at him, but then his face twisted into a grin as he, making absolute sure that it was in both Trip and Jonathan's view, reached down, shoving his hand between her thighs and groping her, despite her struggling against him. Trip had let off a long stream of cursing before Länski finally left Nicolette alone.

At the sound of the door clasping behind Länski, Nicolette covered her face with her hands and sank down to the floor. With Trip's commentary on Länski finally over, he then turned to Nicolette. With his voice considerably gentler, he reached through the bars to touch Nicolette's arm. "Are you alright, darlin'?" Trip asked softly.

Nicolette rubbed her face, then took Trip's hand in hers. "Yeah," she said softly, dropping her necklace into her free hand, "I'm alright..." She stood and started pulling her robes off. "We're not these damned insolent freaks of nature, we shouldn't dress like 'em," Nicolette said, throwing the lavender robes she was wearing in the corner, leaving her in her uniform jumper. The two men stood and followed suit, making them a little more comfortable. Trip and Nicolette both sat back down on the cold floor leaning against the bars separating them from each other. Trip reached through and put his arm around her shoulders, as if by holding her he could protect her from Länski. 

Nicolette woke to bright light flooding into the room as Länski entered. All three were starving, having not eaten anything for over 18 hours. Länski, with his two guards, opened Jonathan's cell and shoved him out the door.

Nicolette looked over at Trip. "What're they gonna do to him?" she asked, standing to stretch.

"Oh, the usual. Beat answers out of him. I'm not worried about him, though, he can hold his own."

"I don't know," Nicolette said, rubbing her jaw, "He was stronger than he looked. Unnaturally strong..." she looked over at Trip, "With just his hand, he bruised me..." she said, delicately touching the inside of her thigh with her fingertips. Sighing, Nicolette sank to the floor.

"Where's your necklace?" Trip asked, looking over at her.

"I put it back on," she replied, laying back down on the cool floor. Nicolette rolled her head to the side to look over at Trip. "You act like this sort of stuff happens every day..." she said questioningly.

Trip laughed. "Let's see," he said, "This would be the... third time he and I've had our asses kicked by aliens, I think."

"And you still rush into every new planet you run across, ready to make friends? You're crazy!"

Trip laughed at her, "So what drug you onto Enterprise, if not the thought of meeting new civilizations?"

Nicolette's smile turned bittersweet. "To get away from my house, I guess. Same reason I joined Star Fleet. Well, I guess my main goal joining Star Fleet was to dry up."

Trip raised his eyebrows, "Not meaning to be rude, but you're awful young to be an alcoholic, what're you, 25?"

"26. I started drinking when I was sixteen. I - Don't go around sayin' anything, okay? This isn't something I talk about, I don't know why I even told you..."

"I'm an easy guy to talk to," Trip said, smiling. He scooted down on the floor as close to Nicolette as the bars would allow, then reached through and clasped her hand in his. "Don't worry, Nicolette, I wont tell anyone." Trip sighed softly, rolling his head over to stare at the ceiling. "When I was 18, I had this girlfriend, Melissa. Unbeknownst to me, she had some sort of dependency disorder, like a serious medical condition. I acted like the average sex-crazed teenage boy, ya know?" Trip turned back to look at Nicolette. "She was a virgin, Nicolette. When I broke up with her, she went crazy. They had to hospitalize her. Permanently. I used her then ditched her, and it drove her insane. I can't get over it, and it was almost 20 years ago."

Nicolette squeezed his hand. "You had no way of knowin', Trip, it's not your fault."

"Yeah," Trip said, sighing, "That's what I've been telling myself for years... but it sounds nice coming from someone else..."

Breaking up the peaceful aire between Trip and Nicolette, Länski opened up the door and shoved Jonathan through, into his cell. 

"Trip!" Nicolette yelled as Länski grabbed him up from his cell and shoved him out the door. "Captain! Are you okay?" she said, turning to face him.

"I don't think anything's broken," Jonathan said, wincing as he tried to sit up, "But I came up with an idea. They took all of our stuff and set it on that table over there, including our phasers, right? So if we could just get out to our phasers, we could get out. And they didn't take our translators."

Nicolette took to his idea into her hands and removed her ear piece. With considerably little effort, she managed to take small, trivial parts to create a lock picker. She quickly worked it in the lock until it opened.

"Okay, first grab our phasers, then let me out," Jonathan instructed her, trying to stand.

"Can you even walk?" Nicolette asked, handing him his phaser through the bars.

"I'll manage," he said.

Nicolette quickly picks the lock to Jonathan's cell and follows him to the door.

"Alright, you've gotten all of our stuff, including Trip's phaser, right?" at Nicolette's nod, Jonathan continued, "Okay, I'll lead, you cover my back. We'll pick up Trip on our way out, the head to the landing pod. Ready?" Jonathan shot the lock to the door with his phaser and the two walked slowly out and down the hall. They took the second door on the left and found Trip chained to a chair and Länski delivering a solid blow to his jaw.

"Trip!" Nicolette yelled, rushing over to untie him while Jonathan kept his phaser trained on Länski.

"How'd ya'll get out?" Trip inquired as he put his arm around her shoulder for support.

"We'll tell you later, let's get out of here now," Jonathan ordered, while Nicolette steadied Trip on his feet. She and Trip followed Jonathan out the door, Nicolette walking backwards to watch their backs. Freedom was just around a corner when around that corner came a group of guards armed with larger version's of Länski's firearm. Nicolette, Trip, and Jonathan turned down a different corridor, but somehow in the confusion, Jonathan got lost from the group. 

"Nicolette, stop!" Trip gasped, crouching over. Thinking they had lost their pursuers, they both sheaved their phasers and relaxed for a moment in the small room.

"Where are we?" Nicolette asked, worried.

"I'm not sure… We lost Jonathan," he said, stating the obvious. They both froze, hearing the sound of the upcoming mob, and standing straight, pulled out their phasers, aiming them at the doorway. "Run! That way!" Jonathan said, motioning to the doorway behind them, "I'll hold them off! Stop in the first room you come across, I'll meet you there!"

"I not leaving you!" Nicolette yelled back.

"That's an order, Lieutenant!" was his reply, forcing her to turn and run. 

Alone for the first time, hungry, and scared, Nicolette made her way down the corridor quickly, turning right at the first door she came across. It led to a large room, with a single Lunzite in the far corner aiming their sidearm at her. Nicolette reciprocated the action, yelling "Don't move!" and stopped in the middle of the room. Behind her, another armed Lunzite entered and Nicolette was forced to move her phaser back and forth between the two. A third Lunzite then entered, but without a phaser.

Nicolette, who was never quick on her feet, didn't regard this one as threat, so she kept her phaser trained between the other two Lunzu. The unarmed Lunzite, a female, walked straight up to Nicolette and, going down on one knee, laid against the back of Nicolette's leg a small computer chip-like device with a semicircle on it. All the sudden, like a tidal wave slamming into Nicolette's entire body, electricity ran through her screwing her vision and slowing her mind. Nicolette did her best to try and shoot her, but she couldn't make her body comply, she couldn't keep the phaser trained on the woman and pull the trigger too. The electric shock continued to hit her harder and soon all her thoughts were focused completely on staying conscious. In her desperate attempt, she lost control of her body, and dropped her phaser to the floor before she started falling, but she never remembered hitting the floor.

"These ropes really are startin' to hurt."

"You're bleeding."

"You didn't care about that while we still had phasers."

"Nicolette sure seemed to."

"I guess."

"What is going on between you two?"

"Look, I think she's comin' to."

"You're avoiding the question."

"We wouldn't want to have her overhear us talking about her."

"I'm going to hit you when I can move again."

"Are you okay, Nicolette?" 

Nicolette barely registered the words, but definitely recognized the speaker. "Trip? Where are we?" she said, forcing her eyes open.

"I have no idea. I got shot," came his reply. "Are you okay?"

"I can't see," she said, "and my leg hurts really bad." Nicolette tried opening her eyes again. "My vision's beginning to clear." She was sitting between Jonathan and Trip on the floor, tied up, but that was all she could make out. "Oh god," she said, squeezing her eyes shut, "It feels like it's on fire."

"Did they shoot you? I don't understand…" Jonathan said.

"No, someone got me with this… I don't know what it is, stupid Lunzite technology," she replied, "I wouldn't be surprised if I was bleeding."

"You're not, don't worry. Can you see better?" Trip asked.

"Yeah," she said, blinking. "So much for that daring escape."

"I should say so," Länski's voice shattered through their low whispering, "But don't worry, you're not getting out again." He leaned down and grabbed the front of Trip's uniform jumper, pulling him to his feet. "We'll be back," he said, walking out the door with Trip in tow.

Jonathan and Nicolette remained in silence in Trip's absence. Less than ten minutes later, Länski returned with Trip. Trip no longer had on his uniform jumper, rather he was dressed as Tratchno had been, with only a hand towel like skirt wrapped around his waist. He didn't look Nicolette in the eye, but as he turned to sit back beside her, she caught sight of whip marks across his back and arms.

"Don't worry, sweetie," Länski's chilling voice slid over to her, "Your punishment won't be nearly as visible." And with that he lifted Jonathan and exited the room with him.

"Are you okay??" Nicolette voiced her concern.

"I'm fine," Trip replied coolly.

Nicolette sighed and pulled her knees in close, trying to hide from the world, but unsuccessfully, for Länski soon returned with Jonathan, dressed in the same manner as Trip, with slightly lighter whip marks.

Länski laughed as he reached down and grabbed Nicolette's forearm, pulling her up. "Your turn, beautiful," he said, walking out the door with her.

Trip and Jonathan sat in silence until Trip couldn't stand it anymore. "I am really scared of what they're gonna do to her," he said, looking over at Jonathan.

"Yeah," he replied, sighing, "Me too… And they can hurt he far worse than they could ever hurt us." Trip closed his eyes and turned his head over to look at the bed by the far wall. A few moments later, Länski returned with Nicolette. She was dressed in what amounted to a forest green bikini with little green beads hanging down an inch from the bottom of the top, all around it. She wasn't tied up, but was wearing a silver choker necklace.

"Watch this, boys, don't you wish she obeyed you two this well? Nicolette, stay where you're at for a moment." As soon as the words escaped Länski's mouth, Nicolette froze where she was. "Spin around," he continued, grinning, "Let your boys see you good." Nicolette slowly turned in a circle, then looked back over at Trip, terrified. As she made her spin, both Jonathan and Trip noticed a dark bruise on the back of her leg. "Isn't this great? A woman who does whatever you want her to." Länski said, moving over behind her and resting his hands on her shoulders. Nicolette cringed at his touch, but remained where she was as he slipped his hands over her chest, down to her stomach, then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. He then slid his hands over to the tie on the front of her top, and started to grab a hold of the strings when Nicolette fiercely yanked away from him. Länski quickly reached over and pushed a small button on a device on his wrist and Nicolette fell to the floor, screaming and crying in pain. Jonathan and Trip both winced at her bloodcurdling screams, but couldn't take their eyes off her. As soon as Länski removed his hand from the device on his wrist, Nicolette's screams subsided, and she laid there crying and shaking.

"Don't worry, boys," Länski said in response to Jonathan and Trip's horrified looks, "She'll eventually learn to do what I say, then she wont be hurting anymore." And with that, he left them, Nicolette still sobbing on the floor.

When Nicolette's cries finally subsided, Trip ventured talking to her. "Nicolette? Darlin'? Are you alright?"

"Yeah," came her cracked reply, "I'm fine."

Trip shut his mouth, looking shamed. He watched her lying there for a moment, still twitching some as she tried to breathe normally before he dared to speak again. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, barely audible.

Nicolette sat up, without looking Trip in the face, and crawled over to untie them. Once their bonds were broken, she took her place between them, pulling her knees up to her chest, trying to cover herself.

"For what it's worth," Jonathan said, putting a friendly arm around her shoulders and smiling weakly at her, "You look beautiful."

"I haven't ever worn this little clothes, even to go swimming, I always wore board shorts over my clothes. I always wear jeans and tee-shirts. I'm a tomboy."

"Well, when we get back to Enterprise, we'll have to work on getting you to dress a little more flatteringly," Trip said, smiling warmly at her. Nicolette leaned over to him when Jonathan dropped his arm, and Trip put his around her as the three settled in to try and sleep.

"For some reason I didn't think you three would go anywhere." Länski said, entering the room. Nicolette, Jonathan and Trip groggily sat up and rubbed their eyes while, on Länski's command, a slave brought in a tray of food for them. "I thought you might appreciate something to eat now. Eat well, you don't get fed too often here."

As the three crew members greedily dug in, Länski sat on the edge of the bed and began his commentary. "Do you know where you're at now? You're actually in one of the king's bedrooms. He has three. This one is the smallest of the three. Aren't you impressed that he allowed three common slaves to stay in his room overnight? Well, I'm a generous man, not cruel, so I'm gonna let you three know what's going to happen to you. You two men are going to be the king's bed servants, similar to what your friend Tratchno does. You'll get one meal a day, a generous one if I may say so myself, and you are even allotted a time to bathe in the men's bath house every third day. Not too bad. Nicolette is going to be living in what we like to call the Cathouse, with the other women. She has to pass inspection first, of course, but I'm sure this rare piece of meat will be allowed in. Nicolette will live a slightly more pampered life than you two will. During the day she is free to do most anything she wants, provided she is in her perimeters. At night she is only busy when the king desires her. Anyways, now that you are finished, it is time to take Nicolette down to get ready for her judgment to pass. Come with me, Nicolette." Nicolette immediately jumped up to follow, fearful of punishment, while the two men watched in disgust as they left.

When the door closed behind them, Trip sighed and leaned back against the wall. "You ever wonder if you did the right thing, Jonathan?"

"Plenty of times, why Trip?"

"I thought I could have saved her, by letting her go ahead of me. I knew I would never be able to hold them off, but I thought maybe she could find you and the two of you could escape together. I just wonder, now, if I hadn't of forced her to run, that maybe the two of us could have held them off. Then maybe she'd be safe."

Jonathan turned to look at him, "Trip, what exactly is going on between you two?"

"I don't wanna talk about it," Trip replied, still staring off at the far wall.

"You have to, Trip, I'm commanding you to tell me." Jonathan sighed, "It's eating you up, Trip. I'm watching it tear you to pieces in front of me; I've never seen you act this way about something before." He paused for a moment, "Do you love her, Trip?"

Trip sighed heavily, then looked away. "Yes," he said softly.

Jonathan nodded and looked away from him, each lost in their own thoughts.

Hours later, Trip woke to Jonathan shaking him. "Trip, wake up," he said, "Quickly!"

"What is it?"

"I can hear Länski's voice outside. Wake up!"

"I'm up already," Trip said, exasperated, as Länski, entered the room with Nicolette in two. Her hair, normally worn in a bun according to regulations, was let down, allowing waves of brown to cascade down her back. She was out of the gold swimsuit looking outfit, and was wearing a pale green one that clashed beautifully with her tanned skin. She was still wearing the choker, more of a collar in Trip's mind, and was barefoot. All in all, she looked stunning.

"Remember what you were taught?" Länski said, raising his hand to his watch. Nicolette's demeanor automatically changed. She sat up straighter, pushed out her chest and sat on the edge of the bed. "That's right," he said, removing his hand from his watch and smiling at Jonathan and Trip.

"During this process, you two are not to make a sound or move, or your little woman over here will regret it, understand?" Jonathan and Trip nodded, glancing at each other then back over at Nicolette. "I thought so," he said, exiting the room.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Nicolette ran back over to her spot between Trip and Jonathan. "Oh my god," she said, bursting into tears, "I was so scared without you!" They both reached their arms around her to comfort her as she sat there sobbing. In moments, her tears subsided for she felt safe as long as she was with Trip or Jonathan. Then, as if she remembered something, she spat out real fast, "I saw our comm units, they're in a room down the hall, I could get them, but once I've got them, we have to be out of here quick, before he pushes that damned button again."

Jonathan and Trip both sat up at this revelation. "Do you think you could possibly take one and meet us somewhere tomorrow, at a certain time?" Jonathan asked. Nicolette nodded furiously, so he continued, "I know you don't like the idea, Trip, but we're going to do it tomorrow, and have T'Pol energize us."

"I'd do anything to get Ni- to get us out of here!" Trip responded, quickly covering up his slip.

"Alright, Nicolette, get one, all of them if you can, and meet us in front of the room we were originally put in at 10 in the morning tomorrow, got that?"

As soon as Jonathan finished voicing his plan, Länski reentered the room.

"Nicolette," he said, raising his hand to his watch. She immediately ran back to the bed and struck her pose again. He nodded approval at her, then turned to let another Lunzite into the room.

"King Oscratz, this," Länski said, motioning towards Nicolette, "is Nicolette."

 Oscratz walked around to the front of Nicolette and shamelessly eyed her up and down. "Yes," he said, turning back to Länski,  "She'll do nicely. I desire her tonight." Oscratz held out his hand while the other Lunzite slipped off his wrist the small device with which he punished Nicolette.

Immediately, Länski exited the room, and Oscratz turned to Nicolette. Trip's worst fears came true as Oscratz rubbed his hands all over Nicolette's chest, slowly working down to her legs, and between. Nicolette looked over at Trip, ashamed, and full of conflicting emotions as both her mind and body screamed out for him to help her while she knew, if he tried, Oscratz would push the small button on his watch. Jonathan and Trip both looked away when Oscratz started taking off her clothes, but that couldn't block the sounds that reached their ears. Sounds of pleasure from Oscratz. Sounds of sheets being pushed against. Sounds of the bed groaning against their weight. And most of all, sounds of small, escaped whimpers from Nicolette.

Eventually the sounds slowed to a stop and Oscratz dressed and left. Trip and Jonathan didn't know what to do or say, leaving them to listen to Nicolette's soft sobs. Moments later, another woman, dressed similar to Nicolette, entered and escorted Nicolette out.

Trip stood and stretched, then walked over to the bed and froze. "Oh my god..."

"What is it?" Jonathan asked.

"She- she was a virgin..." Trip replied, looking down at the bloodstain on the bed.

"Oh, god, I thought we could make it. Oh, god, Nicolette," Jonathan said, covering his face with his hands.

The next morning, at ten, Jonathan and Trip cautiously made their way to the right room. Immediately after, Nicolette hurried in, handing the comm unit to Jonathan, but not making eye contact with either of them.

Jonathan flipped it open, "Archer to Enterprise."

"T'Pol here."

"Can you get a lock on us, T'Pol?"

"Yes, Captain," she replied.

"Then Teleport us, now, goddamnit!" he yelled.

They each cringed as their bodies were beamed back to Enterprise.

"What happened down there??" Reed asked, astonished at their present state.

"We'll talk later, get us some clothes, now." Jonathan replied. Reed did as he was told, instructing the computer to fabricate them new uniforms. He handed them out, and the three ex-slaves pulled them on over their clothes.

"Your orders, Captain?" T'Pol asked.

"Get us the hell out of here. You've still got the bridge, T'Pol, the Commander, the Lieutenant and I are heading down to sick bay."

Nicolette followed Trip and Jonathan down to Sick Bay, bus she stayed a fair distance behind them the entire time. They were men, after all.

Phlox examined them each, healing Jonathan and Trip's whip marks, then dismissing them back to command. Finally, he turned to Nicolette.

Phlox opened his mouth to talk, then shut it for a beat, exhaling. "Lieutenant," he finally said, "I can only imagine what went on while you were out there. To relieve your fears, no, you are not pregnant, but whoever it was, did tear your insides up. That can be fixed, though. Your blood pH is also unusually high, and looking at the sore on your neck, I would venture to guess that it is a result of a large electrical shock. It too, can be fixed. What I'm more worried about though, is you, Lieutenant. I am _ordering you to talk to someone about what happened to you out there, okay?"_

Nicolette nodded and bit her lip as Phlox administered a drug to lower her blood pH level, and healed the sores on her neck and insides. When he was finished, Phlox suggested she go to the bathroom to calm herself, then to have the rest of the day off. Nicolette followed his advice, and headed back to her quarters.

"Talk to someone," she voiced aloud once she was in the privacy of her own room, "Who can you talk to about something like this?" She rubbed her arms, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Who could I talk to? I don't _have any friends." Nicolette sighed and headed towards the shower. She couldn't wait to get out of these nasty clothes. Her uniform barely fit her, she figured it was one of Malcolm's. Underneath it, though, was what truly bothered her. Slave clothes. She stripped down out of all of it and threw them into the incinerator. Then she took a long shower, trying to rid herself of the feeling of their rough touch. She felt diseased. She scrubbed herself until she was raw and couldn't stand the pain any longer. She stepped out of the shower and looked at herself in the mirror. Her skin was red and burning, and her neck still had whelps where the slave choker was._

As soon as she finished dressing, a soft tone sounded, alerting her of someone waiting at the doorway. She slowly looked up and said the command for the doors to open.

There in the threshold stood Trip, out of uniform and in his civvies. He rubbed the back of his neck and said, "Can I came in?" Nicolette nodded slowly. Trip entered and the doors closed behind him. Aware that every step he took closer, Nicolette stepped backwards, he motioned to a chair far away from her, "You mind if I sit?" Nicolette nodded again and he sat. She backed up and sat on the edge of the bed.

"So…" Trip tried. He watched as conflicting emotions passed across Nicolette's face. "Nicolette? What're you thinking?"

She took a deep breath and stumbled through. "I hate myself," she said, her eyes welling up with tears, "I hate myself because I know you'll never hurt me but I'm still terrified of you!" With that she covered her face with her hands and began to cry.

All Trip could do was watch her. He wanted so bad to reach out and hold her. Hell, the way he was feeling, he was ready to propose to her, but he didn't want to frighten her. "Nicolette," he tried again, but stopped. She calmed herself and looked up at him expectantly. Before he even knew it, the words were out of his mouth, "I love you."

Nicolette nodded and took a deep breath. She slowly rose and walked over to where he was sitting. She sat in the chair beside him, and nervously reached over and took his hand. He smiled over at her. "I just need time," she said.

"You have all the time in the world," he replied, smiling at her. 

About my dream: I watched the episode Civilization and fell asleep afterwards, so obviously I dreamt about it. Lt. Mackenzie is based after "me" in the dream. I dreamt that Trip and I were running away from some aliens that were chasing us, and we rounded the corner into this small room. It was brown, more like a lobby than a room, just connecting to hallways, there was a small table in the corner with a flower pot or something on it. Trip and I both turned around and whipped out our phasers, pointing them towards the hallway where the aliens were coming after us. He yells at me to run, I said I wouldn't, he made it and order, so I turned and ran. The rest follows exactly with the story. I pointed my phaser between two aliens and a third that I didn't deem as a threat came and put this little device on the back of my knee. I remember exactly what it felt like with the electricity flowing through me, not hurting but I couldn't concentrate on anything and I tried to shoot her, but I couldn't aim and fire at the same time and I was trying my hardest not to faint, I dropped my phaser and eventually passed out. I remember falling, but not hitting the floor. Then next thing I know, I'm tied up, sitting between Archer and Trip. Obviously at this point I woke up and went back to sleep, because the next morning I didn't remember until that afternoon after school I was going pottie and I happened to see this dark bruise exactly where the electric shock thing touched me. Creeped the hell outta me.


End file.
